Atlanta Public Schools will cancel in-person classes the week after spring break.
Superintendent Lisa Herring announced in a Thursday letter to parents that the district will switch to virtual learning for the week of April 12-16.
“As we continue our focus on protecting student and staff health and safety and in light of an anticipated high volume of student and staff travel during spring break, April 5-9, we are taking the precautionary step of transitioning to virtual instruction for the following week, April 12-16, to help maintain low rates of COVID-19 spread in our schools and buildings,” she wrote.
Herring said APS surveyed staff about their travel plans before making the decision. She said the district received 4,900 employee responses.
“Over 59% of our teachers and over 53% of all staff indicated that during spring break they will be traveling utilizing public transit and/or traveling overnight and in association with crowds outside their household,” she wrote.
APS gave students the option to resume in-person learning starting with its youngest students and special education students in late January. Students in older grades were allowed to return in February.
The district also plans to offer employees the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during that week of virtual learning.
Fulton County Schools previously announced its students and teachers will meet in online classes for that same week following spring break.
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